Missoula Carousel Plans on Expanding After 20th Anniversary

The Missoula Carousel is celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year. Executive Director Theresa Cox says part of the celebration includes plans for an expansion.

"Within that expansion will be a workshop, to make it easier for our volunteers to do their jobs, and a museum, because twenty years later people are kind of forgetting how the carousel and Dragon Hollow came to be. We think it is really important that the memories of the volunteerism and generosity that built the carousel and dragon hollow are carried into the future."

Cox said that the project is expected to cost about $309,000. To reach that goal, the carousel is reaching out to the community for help.

"We are doing some fundraising, mostly, right now, sending out letters. Trying to get the word out so that people know that it is here. I have people come up to me all the time saying, 'I really wish that I had been around, or had thought to help when the carousel was being built.' We'd like to reach out to those people and say, you know, it's never too late to be a part of history, and we are creating history again at the carousel."

The goal is to break ground on the expansion this fall, after the busy season this summer.